Grooming implements

ABSTRACT

A comb has broad teeth rectilinear in cross-section with smooth rounded edges, and some or all of its teeth have at least through orifices extending along them, preferably tapering at each end. The teeth may be wider in the middle than at the back end, or may be wavy along their length. The end piece of the comb may also be orificed.

States tent 1191 Tupper [45] Mar. 25, 1975 GROOMING HMPLEMENTS 1,074,89310/1913 Pearce 132/157 2,329,361 9/1943 Solomon 132/157 [75] Inventor:TWP", Panama 2,450,448 10/1948 Sawyer l8/47.5 Panama 2,559,940 7/1951Cartheuser 132/157 2,989,059 6/l96l Solomon 132/159 [731' Assgnee' ggg gPanema 0179,923 3 9 Solomon D86/8 Filed: Jan- 23, 1973 Primary ExaminerG. E. McNeil 211 App. No 32 081 Attorney, Agent, 07' Firm-Pollock,Philpitt & Vande Sande [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57]ABSTRACT [972 United KmvgdoF-n A comb has broad teeth rectilinear incross-section with smooth rounded edges, and some or all of its (SI.teeth have at least through orifices extending along [58] Fie'ld 57 16011 them, preferably tapering at each end. The teeth may be wider in themiddle than at the back end, or may References Cited be wavy along theirlength. The end piece of the comb a als be 0 'f d. UNITED STATES PATENTSm y 0 n 739'898 9/1903 M9???1 1:'"'11:?912.11%?057 4 Claims 3 DraWmgFlgures GROOMING IMPLEMENTS The present invention relates to a design ofcomb or like grooming implement, such as a hair pick, which is arelatively large size implement with long broad teeth for combingdifficult hair.

While not wishing to be limited by any discussion as to the operation ofthe device, it is believed that relatively broad comb teeth (as viewedin a direction from the face of the comb) are effective in combing thehair since they have a gentle combing action and since indi' viduallengths of hair do not have a tendency to get pulled into the wrongspace between the teeth, as would happen when such spaces are relativelyclose and separated by narrow teeth. However, such broad teeth can berelatively heavy and clumsy to use.

To overcome this disadvantage, the present invention consists in oneaspect of a comb or like hair-combing implement having broad teeth ofrectilinear cross section with smooth rounded edges, wherein a number ofadjacent teeth or all of the teeth are formed with at least one orificepassing through the tooth, extending in the tooth direction, and open tothe front and back of the comb.

In one form of the invention, half of the teeth of the comb are formedas described above and the other half are conventional relatively fineteeth.

Preferably each of the orifices through the tooth is elongate and tapersat each end. Preferably moreover each tooth, viewed from the front ofthe comb and reckoning from the base of the tooth, first increases inwidth and then decreases to a blunt point. Thus, in a useful embodimentof the invention, the teeth are very closely adjacent at or near themiddle of their length. The advantage of this is that when the comb isdipped into a treatment fluid for applying to the hair, a number ofspaces are defined, either between such adjacent teeth or at the ends ofthe orifices within the teeth,

which can hold the treatment fluid by capillary action until it isapplied to the hair.

Alternatively, each tooth may be wavy along its length. In such a casethe orifice may extend over part of the length (preferably the lowerpart) or the whole length of the tooth.

There may be more than one orifice present in each tooth.

The end piece of the comb, for the sake of appearance and also to conferlightness, may also be provided with at least one elongate orificeopening to the front and back of the comb.

cording to the present invention must be rectilinear and rounded at thecorners in order to provide a suitable combing effect.

The invention will be further described with regard to the accompanyingof drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of part of a comb.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the teethon the lines AA and B-B.

FIG. 3 is a view of part of another comb.

The comb shown in the drawing has a back portion 1 and teeth generallyindicated at 2. These teeth are of rectangular cross-section withsmoothed corners. The

The teeth according to the invention may be applied to a wide variety ofgentlemens or ladies combs.

The overall design of the teeth will be such that they are relativelybroad when viewed from the front of the comb. It is also valuable if theteeth themselves are broad not only overall but also in each limb (i.e.,as defined between the orifice and the edge of the tooth on either sideof the orifice).

It is known to provide a so-called tuck" comb having teeth orificedalong their length. However, this is not suitable for combing the hairand usually is provided with a rounded ornamental back merely forinserting into a accumulation of hair to hold it in place. Moreover, theteeth of such a tuck comb having a gripping function rather than ucombing function, and their cross-section is therefore somewhattriangular to join the strands of hair in place. The teeth of the combacteeth extend to a relatively blunt point 5 and are each provided witha central orifice 6 ,'also with rounded square edges. The limbs of eachtooth on either side of the orifice approach closely to similar andadjacent limbs of adjacent teeth. Thus, if such a comb is dipped into atreatment fluid, the fluid can be held by capillary action not only inthe ends of the orifices at 8, but also between two adjacent teeth as at9. Such a treatment fluid will be readily transferred to the hair whenthe comb is used.

The section lines AA and B-B indicate sections shown respectively at 10and 11. In each instance the tooth itself, and each individual limbofeach tooth, is relatively broad as viewed from the front of the comb.

In FIG. 2 the comb has a back portion 13 and teeth 14. The latter are ofa wavy configuration, but their cross-sections are as described for FIG.1, i.e., of rectangular shape with rounded corners. In this embodiment,the orifices in the teeth can occupy the whole length of the tooth, asat 15, or the lower part of the length, as at 16, so that a strongerconnection to the back portion 13 is obtained. Alternately, two orifices17 may be provided each in part of the tooth.

In practice, all the teeth of a comb according to the invention wouldusually have the same type of orifice. The three types shown on adjacentteeth only for purposes of illustration. Also, the end piece of the combcan be orificed as at 18 and '19 to improve appearance and givelightness.

I claim;

1. A haircombing implement having a back portion and a plurality ofteeth integral therewith and extending generally at right anglestherefrom, wherein a. each tooth has a transverse cross-section which isrectilinear with rounded corners, the root portion of each tooth, whereit communicates with the back portion, and the greater part of thelength of each tooth, being at least as broad as it is deep;

b. each tooth is spaced from its neighbouring teeth,

the spaces thereby defined between teeth terminating in smooth roundedsurfaces at the back portion;

c. each tooth possesses at least one elongate through orifice extendingalong the tooth and opening towards the front and side wall portionsthick enough to be resistent to any deformation whereby the spacingbetween teeth could be substantially varied, said implement therebypresenting a plurality of robust and non-gripping teeth to facilitatecombing of hair.

2. A hair-combing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of saidteeth increases in thickness in an intermediate portion from itsthickness in said root portion, and thereafter tapers to a point.

3. A hair-combing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of saidteeth is wavy along its length.

4. A hair-combing implement as claimed in claim 1, comprising a comb endpiece also possessing at least one elongate through orifice.

1. A haircombing implement having a back portion and a plurality of teeth integral therewith and extending generally at right angles therefrom, wherein a. each tooth has a transverse cross-section which is rectilinear with rounded corners, the root portion of each tooth, where it communicates with the back portion, and the greater part of the length of each tooth, being at least as broad as it is deep; b. each tooth is spaced from its neighbouring teeth, the spaces thereby defined between teeth terminating in smooth rounded surfaces at the back portion; c. each tooth possesses at least one elongate through orifice extending along the tooth and opening towards the front and side wall portions thick enough to be resistent to any deformation whereby the spacing between teeth could be substantially varied, said implement thereby presenting a plurality of robust and non-gripping teeth to facilitate combing of hair.
 2. A hair-combing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said teeth increases in thickness in an intermediate portion from its thickness in said root portion, and thereafter tapers to a point.
 3. A hair-combing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said teeth is wavy along its length.
 4. A hair-combing implement as claimed in claim 1, comprising a comb end piece also possessing at least one elongate through orifice. 